


We're Going Camping!

by Kharasma



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Live Action TV)
Genre: Camping, Gen, Team Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 13:10:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2851964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kharasma/pseuds/Kharasma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rei's retreats aren't as spiritual as they used to be. Or are they? The Sailor Guardians go on a camping trip, and antics follow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We're Going Camping!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Letterblade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Letterblade/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide!
> 
> I definitely wanted to write something with all five Senshi this year, and I hope this is...something. A good something! I had a lot of fun revisiting this show, so thank you. :)

Ami wasn’t usually the one opening the mail. That was Mama’s job, right? Notices from the hospital, bills, and correspondence from distant relatives all fell into the neat little bins on Mama’s desk, but there was rarely anything for Ami. Who would send her a letter? 

The answer appeared when a red envelope bearing Ami’s name arrived at the house, given to her by a smiling Dr. Mizuno. “I think your friends are calling you, Ami-chan. It’s summer, so enjoy it, but don’t forget your studies, okay?”

Ami reassured her mother with a smile. “I’ll keep doing my best, Mama. Let me see it!”

The letter inside was very neatly written, if a little plain. It also bore no name, but the two circling crows drawn at the very end revealed the writer’s identity.

Ami,

I don’t usually invite others on a spiritual retreat, since that defeats the usual purpose, but I think you might enjoy this one. Would you care to join me on a stay in the mountains this weekend? I’m inviting the others as well. I think we deserve a break in a more peaceful meeting spot than a karaoke room, don’t you?

If you agree, send me a text message. We leave at 3 PM on Friday.

That was entirely typical of Rei. Brusque, to the point, but with the slightest hint of wanting to share something special with her friends. Ami snatched up her phone and texted a ‘yes’ before she was even aware of doing so. Wow, a real camping trip! She’d never been.

There was so much to learn before Friday! Determined to do this right, Ami threw her books in a bag and set off for the library, assuring her mother that she’d be back for their special dinner. 

But she couldn’t miss a special camping trip either! With dreams of campfires, starlight, and friends in her head, she set off to read and prepare.

\---

And lo, on Friday afternoon, Ami Mizuno found herself approaching her friends at the bus station. As she looked at them, she suddenly had the thought that they looked a little out of place between all the office workers hurrying here and there on their dinner breaks. Five girls with backpacks of various sizes? Clearly they were part of some secret club.

Rei and Makoto appeared sensible about this, at least. Rei smiled and waved at her, carrying a very small bag over her shoulder. Packing light was important to her. Mako’s backpack was a fair bit bigger---judging by the way it bulged, there had to be some food hiding within. They definitely wouldn’t be hungry on this trip!

Strangely, Usagi and Minako seemed to be on the same wavelength. Minako’s glittering shades, cool outfit, and sleek bag were understandable, at least---with everyone still so interested in Aino Minako’s idol career, she always had to look cool. Usagi was still imitating her hero---her outfit was similarly chic, but with more fuzz and pink. Suddenly, Ami felt a little silly next to them, wearing khakis and carrying canteens like some sort of Girl Scout. 

But her worries soon disappeared when Usagi greeted her with a hug. “Ami-chan! Man, I should’ve brought boots like yours! Rei-chan says we’re going hiking a long way up...”

“It’s peaceful, and it builds character,” Rei insisted, a little smile already playing across her face. “Don’t tell me you’re scared already.”

“I’m not scared! I just don’t think I’m ready!”

“Really? We saved the world and you think a little mountain’s going to hurt us?” Makoto teased too, gently herding the girls toward the bus. They were going to miss it at this rate. 

“Besides, it’s not so hard to fight in style! Just stay focused, it’s what I always do,” Minako added. “Idols don’t have time to whine about heels! We keep going and kick butt---or something like that,” she said, a little awkward smile on her face.

“You’re as tough as Rei-chan!” Usagi groaned, now hiding behind her genius friend. “Ami, tell them to stop! We’ll never survive...”

“See, Usagi, it’s okay! I took extra pictures if you want to change into one of my outfits,” she offered helpfully. “And we’ll make it. With lots of breaks and plenty of water.”

“You and your water,” Usagi laughed, poking her gently. “Okay, come on! We won’t get the good seats if we don’t hurry! Hey---over there!”

A quick round of chatter later, the girls found the perfect seats: a row of five in the back. Rei and Minako took the window seats, Usagi plopped right into the middle, and Ami and Makoto joined her on either side. They chattered the whole trip...except when they dozed off, falling like dominoes one after another. In the last few hours, Ami found herself supporting Usagi’s head on one shoulder and Minako’s on the other. They looked so peaceful sleeping...

But there was no sleep for Ami! She kept on reading the wildlife guide tucked in her pocket, determined to make the very most of this trip.

\---

The girls quickly discovered that Rei’s ‘it’s a bit of a hike’ comment was a rather large understatement. To reach her favorite campsite, they had to climb for an hour over some rather steep rocks. Thankfully, they all had enough practice with difficult battles to manage it...but when Ami slipped precariously on a rock, there was a moment of doubt. Usagi screamed and lunged at her, missing by an inch. But luckily...

“See? Heels have their uses,” Minako explained calmly, looking proud of herself as she hauled Ami to safety. Rei and Makoto were quick to help catch them, amusement clear on their faces.

“Right, but we’re not treating your blisters if you start to complain,” Rei chided softly, causing Minako to shoot her a playful dirty look.

“No, no, of course we are! I have a full first aid kit,” Ami promised, squeezing her savior’s arm. 

Minako could only giggle gently at the sight. “See? A proper camper’s always prepared! Good work, Ami!”

Ami glowed with the praise, smoothing her pants as she skipped to catch up with Usagi. That girl was already bouncing ahead, following a few birds in the trees. “Everyone, come look! They’re singing!”

Sharing exasperated smiles, Rei, Mako, and Mina moved to catch up to their friends.

\---

Setting up the tents was another great challenge. They split into teams: Usagi and Ami with one tent, Makoto and Minako with another, and Rei keeping one for herself. She’d get her momentof solitude somehow! So while the others paired off to set up their tents, she did it all herself. It was simple...until the point that the tent was upside down and precariously balancing on its tip.

“It’s art,” Rei huffed, prodding at the sad shape.

“It’s easy to fix,” Makoto promised her, playfully poking Rei on her way past. “Just flip!”

And she dug her boots into the ground and flipped the tent over...only to cause it to collapse on itself. She groaned. “Or not?”

Minako seemed to be moving gingerly on her feet by now. Maybe Rei was right about those heels? But she’d keep that to herself, instead laughing at the sad state of the tent. “You want some help with that, Rei?”

Rei folded her arms, glancing at the state of Mako and Mina’s tent. “It’s right-side up...but it won’t hold off the rain all caved in like that. You should look at Ami’s work.”

On cue, Ami’s head poked out of the doorway of a perfectly constructed tent. She smiled. “The instructions are easy. I can fix them!”

“Easy for a genius, maybe.” Makoto countered, running a hand over the dip in her tent.

“Hey, I helped too!” Usagi insisted, holding up her stakes and hammer. “I’ll make sure they don’t fly away! No one wants to roll down the mountain if the winds blow, right?”

“It could be fun...” Rei thought, but she soon shook her head. “Okay. Ami, can you fix it?”

As if to answer the question, Ami was already kneeling beside the wreck of a tent, carefully pulling and prodding rods. “I’ve got it, Rei-chan!”

Rei smiled. Oh, they could always rely on Ami to pull them out of a tough spot. “Good. Then I’ll see to tonight’s campfire. And you have the food, right Makoto?”

“You think I’d forget how much you need to eat?” Makoto grinned, revealing a few of the goodies inside. Oh, they’d definitely have a fire-roasted feast tonight.

Usagi clapped her hands gleefully. “Yay! But hey, why can’t I light the fire? I passed my tests, right?”

“If by ‘test’ you mean only burning one side of the carpet when we tried this at my house, then yes,” Rei shook her head, the slightest smile on her face. “Leave it to me.”

“That wasn’t my fault! Luna sneezed again, and she bumped into Ami-chan, who knocked over Minako-chan’s guitar, and then me and Mako-chan saved it, but the torch fell out! Right?” Usagi pleaded, pouting over at the other girls for backup here.

“Is that how it happened? I’m not sure...” Ami doubted with a knowing smile, still fixated on the tent.

“Hey, I can’t save everything at once!” Makoto said. “But hey, Usagi, it wasn’t your fault. We did it for Minako, right?”

“You did. And you wanted me to play another song, right?” Minako pointed out, stepping closer to Usagi and squeezing her shoulder. Oh, how she enjoyed seizing an opportunity to jump in. “Burning half a carpet’s an acceptable price to pay for that, right Rei?”

“I don’t agree...”

“Oh, I think I can persuade you with a serenade tonight,” Minako teased. “Then it’s decided. Usagi and I will handle this. Why don’t you just relax?” Minako demanded, putting on just enough of a cheery smile to make it sound like a suggestion. She slipped right back into the leader role far too easily for Rei’s taste.

“Come on, Rei,” Makoto crouched beside her, knowing when it was time to stop a fire before it started. “You said the mountains were beautiful this time of year, right? Let’s see it, then!”

“Aren’t you cooking?” Usagi asked, already scurrying around the campsite in her kindling-gathering quest. 

“Yeah, later. But I’ve already packed cold lunches. She dug into her bag and produced five boxes: pink, blue, red, green, and gold, each tied with a familiar bow. She passed the boxes to their recipients with a big grin. “Usagi, Mina, you sure you don’t want to come? We could all go and light the fire later, I’ve got enough food.”

“The trees aren’t going anywhere,” Minako smiled. “Besides, I’d like the chance to rest up.”

“More like you’d like the chance to regret wearing heels,” Rei guessed.

“You of all people should know how to fight in them,” Minako shot back.

“But a mountain hike is different. Stay if you want: and Usagi?”

“...yeah, Rei-chan?” Usagi spoke after a moment, already looking thrilled by the concept of quiet time with Minako-chain.

“If you catch her complaining about her feet, I want to hear all about it.”

“Will do! Uh..oh wait, no, I can’t! I can’t hurt Minako-chan!” Usagi flailed, biting her lip.

Everyone laughed, Mako gently tugging her friend’s pigtail as she walked by. 

“It’s all right, Minako, isn’t it? Your feet don’t hurt?” Usagi whispered as the others passed by.

“That’s a secret,” she winked. “But we have a golden opportunity here, if you really want them to be surprised...

\---

Rei knew these mountains like the back of her hand, apparently. The first few minutes from camp were smooth sailing, but it wasn’t long before an impossibly high cliff face confronted them. Jagged edges and threatening branches really set the mood.

“Is this the right way?” Ami worried, frowning up at Rei’s apparent destination.

“Bit of a challenge, huh?” Makoto grinned, clenching her fists. She bounded up the rock formation in search of handholds. In a flash, she was already a small sapling’s height up the cliff---causing Rei to race over and start shouting up the rock face.

“Get down here, Makoto! We’re not going that way!”

Makoto hesitated, looking down over her shoulder. “What other way is there?”

Rei simply pointed to her right, revealing...nothing. Ami followed her hand and frowned at it, tilting her head left and right. 

“Mako-chan’s right. Unless it only looks like solid rock?”

There was a soft thump on the ground as Makoto hopped the rest of the way down, joining Ami in her puzzlement. “Like an illusion, Ami?”

Rei lifted her hand and beckoned them over. She walked straight ahead---and right into a little passageway not easily seen. “No, this way. It’s perfectly safe.”

“I never would’ve seen this,” Ami whispered, touching the rock wall reverently as she slipped inside.

“My way would’ve been more fun,” Makoto said with a laugh. “But this is neat. Where’re we going?”

“You’ll see,” was all Rei would say, her steps hastening as she neared their destination.

\---

Back at camp, Usagi and Minako’s quest to light the fire was not going very well. They sat in the midst of a pile of wet kindling, a few frayed ropes, and Minako’s mirror tossed aside. 

“Man! Rei-chan’s gonna kill us,” Usagi wailed, pulling on the hem of her skirt in despair.

“I’d never let that happen,” Minako promised immediately, giving Usagi a gentle nudge. “I’m your bodyguard, remember?”

Usagi remembered all too well. She smiled, turning her head to give her idol a quick hug. “Aaah, I still can’t believe it! Minako-chan, my hero!”

Minako’s indulgent smile waned just a little. Some hero she’d been back then...but the past was the past, and she was finally willing to say that to herself. Gratefully, she gave Usagi a quick squeeze back. “I won’t hesitate to get between you and scary Rei-chan, but let’s fix this before she gets mad.”

“You think that magnifying glass will work?” Usagi asked hopefully, rummaging in Ami’s bag for something, anything to use.

“Not enough sun,” Minako sighed. “What about Mako’s matchbook?”

“They all got wet when I threw them,” Usagi winced, squeezing her burnt finger. That hadn’t been fun. “Oh, Rei’s gonna be furious!”

“At least she can’t turn into Mars and burn us up, right?” Minako tired to reassure her.

“No, but she’ll torch us anyway! Like she’s one of those runners...oh, wait! That’s it!” Usagi jumped up, snapping her fingers. “I’ve got something here!”

She flipped feverishly through her phone, grinning when she came across the right picture, and transformed herself into an Olympic torch runner with one flash of the camera. She struck a pose in the silly outfit for a moment, then confidently turned the torch on their fire pit.

“Good work, Usagi!” Minako cheered. “Now it won’t be long before we have a real feast.”  
“They’ll be so proud of us!” Usagi giggled, taking the time to check out her new outfit. The braid definitely worked in her favor. She flicked it over her shoulder and shared a smile with Minako...who wasn’t smiling back. Her eyes were wide, actually.

“Eh? Minako-chan, what’s wrong?”

“Fire! Hold on, I’ll get it!” Minako yelled, watching with horror as the flame left the confines of the fire pit. In a flash she became a fire-woman, and one quick spray later, the fire was one again contained safely. Relieved, she changed back, immediately digging into her bag.

“Wow, Minako-chan, that was so cool! Hey, what are you looking for?”

She turned around with a grin, flashing a marshmallow bag over her shoulder. “Just an appetizer. Don’t tell Makoto. And after that...how about a song I’ve been working on?”

Usagi’s squeals of delight were almost loud enough to attract her friends back to the campsite. Almost.

\---

“...hey, was that Usagi-chan just now?” Ami asked, hearing a loud shriek in the distance.

“I’m sure it’s just a bird,” Rei dismissed, a definite bounce in her step now that they neared their destination. “She’s with Minako. They’re fine.”

“Yeah, true,” Makoto agreed. “But this secret place of yours: we’re almost there, right?” The narrow caverns they were winding through were starting to get repetitive at this point. 

Rei answered by flashing an uncharacteristically big smile over her shoulder and stepping around the next corner. “Correction: we’re here.”

‘Here’ turned out to be an amazingly cozy little oasis in the forest. The grass here was lusher and greener than the rest, helped by the lovely little spring situated in the middle of the area. A whole rainbow of flowers grew in the sunniest corner, surrounding a tree bearing delightful orange fruits. The air here was pleasant and sweet, and definitely inviting. As Ami and Makoto took this in, Rei immediately crossed to that tree and picked three, tossing one at each of her friends.

“Here, eat. It’ll go well with our lunches,” she smiled, gracefully sitting on one of the nearby rocks. Ami and Makoto were quick to join her, though Makoto had a difficult time tearing her gaze away from the flowers. 

”It‘s like a garden of Eden,” Ami whispered, opening her lunch with a smile. ”Rei, how‘d you find this place?”

“Yeah. It’s almost unreal,” Makoto agreed, letting out a low whistle. “Beautiful. I can see why you’d like to come here.”

Rei split her fruit and peeled it, allowing herself to look into her memories for a few moments. “After my mother died, my father left me with the temple, as you know. My grandfather raised me to be a proud woman---my prayers were sure, I worked hard to help all who came to us. But I longed for my mother,” she started to confess.

Ami scooted closer, and Makoto nodded. That she could understand.

Rei went on: “I thought I’d never see anything beautiful again. But it was strange: I heard a voice like my mother’s in my ear. She told me where to find the break in the rock, and then I was here. It was like a picture in a storybook. Ever since, I’ve always found peace here.”

Makoto had to agree. She was already cradling an orange flower, her ear tilted to the wind in the trees. “It’s a perfect hiding place. But..” she trailed off, looking the slightest bit embarrassed.

Ami looked up mid-bite. Makoto was unsure of something again, wasn’t she? She reached out, gently tapping her arm. “But?”

“It’s nothing,” Makoto laughed, scratching the back of her neck.

Rei simply folded her arms, giving Makoto a Look. “I know us well enough to know that it’s never nothing. Out with it.”

“Seriously? Well, uh...” Makoto trailed off. She had to take a moment to gather her courage, in the form of a deep breath. In and out. “It’s just that I wish I could hear those voices sometimes. I heard the trees once, but they were telling me I had to stand alone. I got strength from them, but...”

“But?” Rei asked this time, already scooting closer.

“What your mother told you. I wish I could feel it too,” Makoto sighed, looking fitfully at her feet.

“You can,” Rei said immediately. She moved close enough to take Makoto’s hand and gestured for Ami to join her. “Try again, Makoto. Can you hear it? Ami, you should listen too.”

Try as she might, she did not. “Nothing.”

“Me neither,” Ami admitted. 

“It’s there. Closer. What do you hear?” Rei tried again, letting out a slow breath. “Let the world fall away. Clear your head. What do you feel? Ami, make sure you’re doing this too.” With that, Rei moved to sit between them, making sure they were both trying.

Admittedly, Ami felt a little out of place in this meditation. Rei and Makoto were both standing alone most of the time, but she had her mama. She had a happy family life, didn’t she? And she had her friends, her most precious friends...she’d hurt sometimes, and they’d been torn apart, but always, always, love won out.  
Makoto wondered too. The trees sounded just the same as ever, their promise of strength still there, but as she allowed herself to feel, her thoughts kept turning back to the girls beside her. Sweet, kind Ami, always there with a helpful suggestion and encouraging word. Strong, confident Rei, sarcastic sometimes, but always willing to step in for a friend. 

The longer she sat, the more she felt a strange peace wash over her. Was this really Eden, as Ami had said? Or was it just that she wasn’t stopping to smell the roses often enough? Makoto smiled---okay, she would definitely have to smell the real roses before leaving this place. 

“All I hear is us, Rei,” she finally said.

“There’s nothing else,” Ami added.

“Exactly.” Rei squeezed both of their hands before letting go. “That’s what I wanted to share with you. I thought you could both enjoy it. So...how about this dekopon?” she suggested, tossing her friends a quick bite.

That was like her too, Ami thought. Stir up feelings, and then evade the subject. She giggled, already pondering how to share this with Usagi and Minako back at the campsite.

\---

Back at camp, a sugary wonderland had overtaken everything. It didn’t surprise them at all to find Usagi and Minako tangled up in a marshmallowy mess. They stared...only to get a challenging laugh from Minako.

“Well? Don’t we look good enough to eat?”

“I don’t know if I’d say that...” Ami said, a tentative giggle following.

“I would,” Makoto laughed, diving in with a roast. “But hey. Aren’t you girls eating dinner?”

“We’ve got all night, Mako-chan,” Usagi laughed, already attempting to lure Rei over with a tasty marshmallow. “So come on!”

And soon enough there was a sticky mess. Soon enough, Ami had to dig into her first aid kit to clear it up. And soon enough, they gathered around the campfire, watching as Minako whispered a new song into the night sky.

With backup vocals from Usagi, but they could deal with that.

_Whenever I’m feeling lost and lonely  
I remember the friendship we share  
It might be the past, but this one will last  
‘Cause your love is everywhere_

Soon, she’d taught them all the chorus. Rei had even had a solo, much to everyone’s delight. And as they gathered under the stars, whispering their good nights...all was well. At long last, they were happy and free, and getting better every day.

Tomorrow would be even brighter.


End file.
